Furnace



(No Model.)

F. HQ RICHARDS. FURNACE.

No. 515,612. Patented Feb. 27, 1894.

WE" lnesses:

[Hyena for,

UNTTED STATES PATENT FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO EGKLEY B. OOXE, OF DRIFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

F U R N AC E SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,612, dated February 2'7, 1894. Application filed December 26, 1893. Serial No. 494,650. (Ito model.)

To all whom it may concern: purpose hereinafter more fully described), a Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, gate, or bridge-wall, G, is shown extending a citizen of the United States, residing at upward through an openingin the lower wall Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State 5 of the flue. By elevating or lowering this 5 of Connecticut, have invented certain new bridge-wall or gate, as represented, for inand useful Improvements in Furnaces, of stance, by dotted lines 6, the area of the fluewhich the following is a specification. outlet maybe regulated as required.

This invention relates to that class of fur- The furnace-lioor consists of a grate shown naces in which the fuel is first treated by formed of a series of parallel bars, M, ar- I0 heating without aeration, the mass then reranged side by side longitudinally of the furformed into another and thicker layer and pace-chamber and set at a considerable inlgnited, and afterward carried along the furclination, as indicated in Fig. 2. The inclinanace-chamber and consumed. tion of said grate should be slightly less than The object of the invention is to providea the normal angle of repose of the fuel on the 15 furnace in which thedescribed process may grate, so that some force or feeding-device he elfectively carried into practice without needs to be employed for causing the fuel to requiring a traveling grate, and also to pro travel along down the inclined grate. Vlad the furnace with improved means for As a means for supplying air to the fuel pro-heating the fuel and for feeding the same supported upon the furnace-floor, an air-res- 7c 20 over the grate or furnace-floor. ervoir, designated in a general way by J, is

In the drawings accompanying and formprovided, which reservoir will be located diing a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a rectly below the grate and have an outlet or sectional plan view of a furnace embodying a series of outlets in communication with airmy present improvements; in this view, difspaces through the furnace-floor, air being 2 5 ferent portions of the furnace structure and supplied to said reservoir through apipe, a. mechanism are broken away to different This reservoir, or air-blastchamber, may be depths, -for more fully illustrating the prea single air-supply chamber as shown in full ferrcd construction and arrangement of the lines in Fig. 2, in which case but one supplyseveral details. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elepipe, (1,, is necessary, which pipe is shown as o vation of the furnace as seen from below in provided with an ordinary regulating-valve,

a",'for controlling the pressure of air in said Simllar characters designate like parts in chamber; or, the reservoir maybe divided by both res. vertical partitions, (as shown by dotted lines The process of preparing and igniting the at 31, Fig. 2,) into a series of separate com- 35 fuelwhich is carried out bythe furnace herepartments, a, b, 0, each of which compartin shown and described is substantially the ments will preferably be supplied with air at same process which is described and claimed different pressures by a separate air-supply in Letters Patent of the United States No. pipe having a suitable regulatiugvalve (not 510,567, granted to Eckley B. Goxe, December shown), in the manner and for the purpose 9:: o 12, 1893, to which reference may be had. described in United States Letters PatentNo.

In myimproved furnace, the furnace-cham- 499,716, granted to Eckley B. Coxe, June 20, her Gis or may be inclosed by the usual fur- 1893, to which reference may be bad. This nace-walls; as herein shown, it has the sidelast feature, however, in combination with walls 2 and i, the reverberatory or arched other features hereinafter more fully de- 45 roof A, and the front wall 3. The discharge scribed,'constitutes, in part, the subject-matfromthe furnace-chalnberG is through a flue, ter of my present invention.

C, which, of course, may be modified in con In the present construction of my invenstruction and arrangement, in any desirable tion, the front and rear end-walls of the airmanner, without aifecting the essential feachamber J are herein shown as terminating [00 5o tures of my present invention. As a means at relatively diiferent heights, the front-wall for regulating the size of said fine (for the being considerably higher than therear-wall and terminating at a point in close proximity to the base-line of thefnrnace-chamber C, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 2.

The furnace-fioor may consist, as herein shown, of a grate formed of a series of parallel bars, M, arranged side by side longitudinally of the furnace-chamber and at an in clination thereto, these bars being held in a fixed position relatively to said chamber, and removably supported upon the end-walls of the air-blast chamber J.

As a means of fixedly but removably securing the grate-bars in place, the front endwall of the chamber J is shown inwardly flanged near its upper end to form a support for the forward ends of said grate-bars, and the lower faces of the grate-bars have lugs near their rear ends on their under faces to engage with the upper edge of the rear-wall of the said chamber J, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be obvious, however, that the construction and arrangement just described may be altered Without departing from my invention.

Each grate-bar M of the series of grate-bars that comprise the furnace-floor has a lateral projection, 7, at its end which bears against the next adjacent grate-bar when said bars are assembled, to form an air-space, 8, intermediate to said bar, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1. This construction and arrangement permits the quick and ready removal of any one of the series of grate-bars, and the quick assembling of the same.

Fuel is supplied to the grate from some suitable hopper, as H, through an inclined chute or passage-way, T, whose under side consists of a hot-slope wall, or ignitionblock, B, extending over the heating-chamber D and terminating at its rearward edge 21 (at the left-hand in Figs. 1 and 2) in a fallingwall, whose construction, arrangement and mode of operation are fully set forth in the aforesaid Letters Patent No. 510,567. Immediately below the falling-edge 21, at the upper forward edge of the grate, is a fuel-actuator, designated in a general way by F, suitably supported for a reciprocatory movement under said falling-edge 21. Said fuel-actuator consists, in the preferred form thereof herein shown, ofsome suitable carrier or oscillator, as 9, having on the forward side thereof a series of fire -bricks, 10, and on the rearward side thereof a corresponding series of firebricks, 10, whose purpose is to protect said carrier from the heat of the furnace-gases, and also to furnish the proper surface for acting against the fuel as it falls over the falling-edge 21 of the ignition-block B onto the grate. The fuel-actuator F is shown su pported at its lower end on a pivot, 12, by means of one or more arms, 13, (Fig. 2) and is connected by some suitable rod or other connection, as 14, with an operating-device for imparting to said fuel-actuatoraforward and backward movement. This device may properly consist, as herein shown, of an eccentric,

15, fixed upon a shaft, 16, supported in bearings, 17 and l8,in the furnace-walls 2 and 4;, said shaft being provided with a driving-pulley, 19, for rotating the same said shaft. By this means said actuator may be given a regular reciprocatory movement for acting upon the fuel (usually coal of relatively small size) as this runs out of the chute T and falls onto the furnace-floor M.

In practice, the depth of the fuel in the chute T should be considerably less than the depth of the same on the furnace-floor or grate, so that the fuel will be readily heated through as it passes over said ignition-block B, and also that the fuel may be thoroughly mixed and the layer re-formed into a thicker layer as the fuel falls upon the grate,

The fuel-actuator F, by reason of its reciprocatory movement described, operates upon the fuel at the forward edge of the grate to push back the entire mass of the same, which will thereupon naturally assume on its upper side substantially the inclination indicated by the dotted line 20-20, corresponding approximately with the normal angle of repose of the fuel being used, the grate being set, as hereinbefore mentioned and as shown in Fig. 2, at a lesser inclination. By means of the arrangement of features and combinations here described, the fuel may gradually be fed along the grate during the combustion-period, it being first heated and prepared in the chute T, next delivered from said chute mixed and re-formed in a thicker layer upon the forward edge of the grate and this layer afterward forced along the grate over the airblast chamber, where the carbon is consumed, the cinder and ashes being finally delivered over the rearward end, 22, of the grate intoa pit or ash-chamber, 23.

As a means for supplying heat to the heating-chamber D and the heatingor ignitionwall B of the chute T, a flue, L, is led from the point 23 next the rear end and at one side of the form ace-chamber, forward through the wall 2 into said heating-chamber at 24. This fine may be provided with some regulatingdevice, as, for instance, the valve 25, for controlling the passage through .the same of the heated gases. The required draft for creating the suction necessary for securing the circulation of the heated gases through said heating chamber D, may be obtained by means of another fine, L, leading from said heating-chamber to a point, 26, in the discharge-flue C of the furnace beyond the regulating bridge-wall or damper G. Another regulating-valve, 27, may also he placed in said suction-flue L for regulating the draft in the same. If the valves or regulators 25 and 27 be not used in said fines L and L' respectively, the draft through said heatingchamber may be increased by raising the bridge-Wall G, as indicated at (5, Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I

ing of a framework and fnrnace'chamberhavmg a discharge-flue, in combination with a separate heating-chamber in communication with the furnace-chamber, a fuel-supply chute ntermediate to thefurnace-chamberand heat lug-chamber, an inclined furnace-floor supportedbelow the fu rn ace-chamber, and a fu elactuator in position for hearing against the upper end of the layer of fuel upon the furnace-floor-and for forcing the same in a body toward the delivering-end of said floor, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. I 2. The furnace herein described, comprismg acombustion-ohamber havinga dischargefiue, a separate heating-chamber in comm unication with the combustion-chamber through a flueat one side thereof, a fuel-chute intermediate to the combustionand heating-chambers, an inclined fuel-supporting floor located below the combustion-chamber, and a recip rocatory fuel actuator located intermediate to the delivering-end of the chute and receiving-end of the furnace-floor and intermediate to the combustionand heatingcharnbers, and means for reciprocating said actuator to forcefeed the fuel along the furnace-floor, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. a i

d. The herein described furnace, it comprising a suitable framework embodying a furnace-chamber and a heating-chamber divided transversely by an ignition -block, a coal-chuteintermediate to said ignition-block and furnace-chamber, a furnace'floor located below and at an inclination with relation to the furnace-chamber, and a reciprocatory fuel-actuator for'bearing against the upper end of the layer of fuel upon the furnacefloor, and means for reciprocating said actuator to force-feed the fuel toward the delivering-end of the furnace-floor, substantially as described.

U 4. The herein-described furnace,it consistmg of a furnace-chamber and a heating-chamber separated transversely by an ignitionblocl; or wall, an inclined furnace-floor located below the furnace-chamber with its upper end in substantial vertical alignment with the lower end of the ignition -block, means for delivering fuel at one side of said ignition-block to the to rnace-fioor, and means for force-feeding said fuel along said furnacefloor, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described furnace,itconsisttug of a furnace-chamber having a dischargefiue anda heating-chamber separated from a said furnace-chamber by a transverse partition or ignition-block and having a flue at one side thereof in communication with said furnace-chamber, and having an air-blast fine at the opposite side thereof in communicaminating at its discharge end in the furnac chamber, and a fuel-actuator located intermediate to the furnace-chamber and heating-chamber in position for hearing against the upper end of the layer of fuel supported upon the furnace-floor, and means for reciprocating said actuator to force-feed the fuel toward the delivery-end of said floor, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a furnace of the class specified, the combination with the furnace-chamber and its walls, of a heating-chamber separated from said furnace-chamber by a transversely-disposed inclined ignition-block or wall, an airflue located at one side of and in communication with said furnace-chamber and heating-chamber and having a regulator, a furnace-fioor located below said furnace chamber at an inclination thereto, means for delivering fuel to the furnace-floor at one side of the ignition-block, an air-reservoir located below and in communication with the furnace-floor, means for supplying air to said reservoir, and means for force-feeding the fuel along the furnace-floor, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a furnace of the class specified having a furnace-chamber with a discharge-fine, the combination therewith of an incased heating-chamber in communication with the furnace-chamber by means of a suitable due at one side thereof and having a suitable draftflue at the opposite side thereof in communication with the discharge-flue of the furnacechamber, a fuel-delivering chute intermediate to the furnaceand heating-chambers and having the ignition-wall adjacent to said heating-chamber, an inclined furnace-floor located below the furnace-chamber, means for delivering air below said furnace-floor, an air-supply chamber located below the furnace-floor, means for supplying, and for regulating the supply of, air to the furnace-chamber, a reciprocatory fuel-actuator located between the furnace chamber and heatingchamher in position for bearing against the upper end of the layer of fuel upon the furnace-floor, means for reciprocating said fuelactuatoig'and means for regulating the draft in the discharge-flue of the furnace-chamber, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, in a furnace of the class specified having a furnace-chamber and a heating-chamber substantially as set forth, of an inclined furnace-floor located below the furnace-chamber and consisting of a series of grate-bars having air-spaces intermediate thereto, an air-supply chamber located below v and in communication with the air-spaces of a the grate-bars, means for supplying air to said supply-chamber and for regulating the pressure of the air-supply, a fuehdelivery.

of the layer of fuel upon the furnace-flour, and means for actuating said fuel-actuator for force-feeding the fuel along said furnacefloor, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, in a furnace of the class specified having the furnacechamber and heating-chamber separated transversely by an ignition-wall substantially as described, of an inclined furnace-floor located below the furnace-chamber with its upper end approximately in vertical alignment with the lower end of the ignition-Wall, means for delivering fuel along one face of the ignition-Wall to the furnace-floor, a fuel-actuator located below the ignition-Wall in position for hearing against the fuel as it is delivered to the furnace-fioor, means for reciprocating said actuator to force-feed the fuel along the furnacefloor, means for delivering air below the furnace-fioor and for regulating the pressure of the same, and means for regulating the draft in the furnace-chamber, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

10. The herein-described furnace, comprising a furnace-chamber having a dischargefiue with a draftregulating gate or damper therein, a heating-chamber with an ignitionblock separating it transversely from the furnacechambenafurnace-floor supported upon the end-walls of an air-supply chamber located below said f urnace-floor, means for supplying air to said chamber and for regulating the pressure thereof, a reciprocatory fuelactuator in position to bear against the fuel at the upper end of the floor, and means for operating said fuel-actuator, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a furnace, the combination with the furnace-chamber and a grate therefor, of an inclined chute in position for supplying fuel to the grate, and a separate heating-chamber underneath the chute for heating the fuel during the passage of the same through the chute, substantially as described.

12. In a furnace, the combination with the furnace-chamber and its incldsing-walls, of a heating chamber forward of the furnacechamber, an inclined ignition-wall, substantially as described, between the two chambers, and means for supplying fuel to the furnace-chamber over said wall, substantially as described.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, N. E. O. WHITNEY. 

